"I am always happy to take credit where blame is due."--John Davis Frain

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Your book is categorically not fiction. What is it?

I'm currently in the process of drafting query letters, but I'm having a genre problem.

I've written an extensive collection of limericks on mental and social health. I know it's not fiction. It's closer to non-fiction, but submission instructions for non-fiction often ask for sample chapters, and this collection won't be in chapter format.

Ok, fine, it's a poetry book, but... I think of poetry as relatively esoteric stuff, and I don't see this book belonging in the poetry section. I think it makes more sense to present it as a kind of humorous self-help book, or a novelty book one buys near the cash register at Urban Outfitters.

Thanks for any guidance you can offer on creating an appropriate and effective query letter.

You're closest with "novelty book" but the correct term is gift book.
You query this as you would non-fiction, and while it's true you don't have sample chapters, you have sample pages. You'd include some of the limericks.

Were this to cross my desk the first thing I'd look for is platform. This is the kind of book that needs 10,000+ Instagram followers to be viable.

Also, I don't know what "social health" means.

The trick to getting category right is find books that are like yours. Look at the back cover. Often there will be a category listed for the book.

This is the back cover of Life's Little Instruction Book which is a gift book, and also considered self-help. Most books have this kind of information somewhere on the back cover.

Here's are some other examples from three books pulled at random from my shelf:

OP, as I read your description I thought of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. She writes shorts and non-fiction in addition to novels. I don't own any of her books yet so can't tell you the category on the back cover. Wishing you all the best.

I'm with AJ - I had no idea. And now I'm disappointed the book I'm reading doesn't have its category listed next to the ISBN! Thankfully, it's pretty clear from the title what the book is about :-) King George - What Was His Problem? The Whole Hilarious Story of the American Revolution, by Steve Sheinkin and Tim Robinson (illustrator).

Wahoo! I learned something new! But I guess it's only nonfiction or maybe adult fiction. None of my research books (all children's) have the category listed. I'll have to keep checking the call numbers at the library, I guess. Sigh. You genre writers have it so easy ;).

A book of limericks on mental health? If it's in the right tone it should be a winner. Most of us know someone with mental health struggles and most of us struggle with finding interesting new gift ideas. Good luck OP.

You'll find folks like MAHudson swimming all around this reef. Here's a virtual high-five for ya! Now go tackle some queries, and let us know how things transpire.

It should be noted that I originally began this comment with There once was a dude named J Frain ... but I'm being kind to y'all. Kinda like eschewing singing at a party. Or Jeff Somers! putting pants on before he answers the door. (Like that ever happens IRL.)

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I'm a literary agent in NYC. I specialize in crime fiction and narrative non-fiction (history and biography.) I'll be glad to receive a query letter from you; guidelines to help you decide if I'm looking for what you write are below.
There are several posts labelled "query pitfalls" and "annoy me" that may help you avoid some common mistakes when querying.